Setting device for the type levers in calculating machines



July 24, 195i Filed June 24, 1948 E. BENNINGER 2,561,646

SETTING DEVICE FOR THE TYPE LEVERS IN CALCULATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Arromvly' July 24, 195? E BENN|NGER 2,561,646

SETTING DEVICE FOR THE TYPE LEVERS 1N CALCULATING n/mcmNEsl A, Filed June 24, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented July 24, 1951 A- .A

` 5611.646 SETTING DEVICE FoaI THE TYPE LEvERs TN CALCULATING MACHINES l Eugen Benninger, Zurich, Switzerland, assignr to Precisa A.-G. Rechenmaschinenfabrik, Zurich-Oerlikon, Switzerland w i Application June `24., 194s, serial No. sans In Switzerland July 415, `1947 according to the gures to be printed, and, then to impel the hammers against the selected type elements to effect the printing. Generally, for the purpose of setting the type carriers the latter are provided each with a rack which meshes with a pinion on the side opposite the printing platen. The hammers are driven by a control element, and are brought back to their initial position by means of a separate hammer return rail. v

If, in such a conventional machine, the pinions and the racks of the type carriers are somewhat `worn or have play for some other reason, it may `happen that the printed numerals do not appear `in a perfectly horizontal line, but are .displaced in height with respect to each other. Thepresent invention aims to eliminate or at least to minimize the mentioned drawback, and to provide very simple means whereby a ne adjustment of the type carriers can be effected. It is an object of the invention to provide an adjusting means, such as a rail, adapted to engage in the driving means of the type carriers so as to insure accurate setting thereof. In its preferred form, the adjusting rail is combined with a conventional hammer return rail. This has the advantage that no additional means are required. According to another form of the invention, the adjusting rail may be mounted on arms operative by a hammer-return means to cause engagement of the adjusting rail with the pinions of the typecarrier drives.

Further objects and details of the invention will be apparent from the description given hereinafter, and the accompanying drawing, illustrating two embodiments thereof by way of example. In the drawing- Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a nrst embodiment and Figs. 3 and 4 a second embodiment in diagrammatic representation and with the different parts in various positions.

Figs. 1 and 3 show the two embodiments with parts in the initial position, whilst Figs. 2 :and 4 show the parts in the operative position of the hammers. In the illustration, only the parts necessary for understanding the invention are shown; the other parts, known per se, are not further explained.

In all gures, the numeral I designates la wall of the frame. 2 is a shaft journaled in the two frame Walls, and 3 a cross rail also supported s claims. (ol. 101-93) by the frame walls. Type carriers 4 are mounted on rail 3 and can be shifted relatively thereto in the'vertical direction. The type carriers contain the ten type plungers 5, which are urged in the position illustrated in` Figs. 1 and 3 by springs not shown against the restraint of such springs, the type plungersHcan be moved forward and caused to impinge against the platen 6. Each carrier 4, on the side opposite the platen 4, `is provided with a rack 'l which `'co-operates with a pinion 8. The pinionsfof the different racks 'l are mounted on a transverse shaft 9, which `is rotatably supported in the frame Walls. Other means, conventionally combined with the pinions 8 in machines of the type under consideration are not illustrated in the drawing. It is sufiicient tosay that the, pinions 3 serve and are adapted to displace. the rack` 'l vertically according to the numeralto be printed. On atransverse shaft Ill, the hammers II are mounted so as to cooperate, with their front faces l2, with the anvil surfaces I3 of the type plungers 5. Each hammer II is provided with a tension spring I 4, one end of which is attached to an arm I5 of the hammer and the other end engages in a bentdown lug IB of the frame wall l. This spring tends to rotate the hammer Il clockwise. A return rail Il bears against the front side of the hammers and is attached to a lever IS. This lever is rotatable about a cross shaft I 9 and projects with a pin 2U into la control slot 2| of a control element 22 seated on the shaft 2. When the control element 22 is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 by means not shown, the lever I8 will be moved forward, whereby the hammer II is freed to impinge against the selected type-plunger 5. In accordance with the invention, an adjusting rail 23 is provided which in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 is in one piece with the hammerreturn rail Il. In the forward position of lever I8, the adjusting rail 23 engages in grooves of the racks 'I which are raised according to the selected numerals. Thereby, rail 23 will exactly align the registering grooves and, consequently the type plungers so that the printed numerals all appear on one line.

Fig. 2 shows the parts in the printing position. Immediately before the blow of the hammer Il, the adjusting rail 23 have moved into one of the tooth gaps of each of the type carriers 4, so that any difference in height is equalised.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modified embodiment in which the adjusting rail does not directly engage in the racks 'I of the type carriers. In

this embodiment, the return rail l1 cooperates with arms 24 pivotably supported at 21 on both sides of the type carriers. These arms 24 are provided, on their sides facing rail l1, with a wedge-shaped running-up surface 25 and are also providedfwithf-a spring1-28- (indicatedby .a dash and Adotilinetoai/'oid overcrowding othe drawing) which tends to turn the arms in a clockwise direction. An adjusting rail 2E is sie; l0 turned in the clockwise direction; rail" I-'1 will e-,

cured to the arms 24. Thus, rWhenlever I8 is gage the surfaces 25 and the adjusting' r'a'il""2"6 arranged on the plates 24 will-- bef' pressed into the tooth gaps of the pinions'v Thereby; -thelat ter will be accurately aligned with respecte to` each other, and, consequently, lthe selected typeplungers too, so that solely the' play' betw'rthe" pinions and the racks, which as a ruleis slight;

could cause a negligible inaccuracy.

What I claim as myI I invention and desire to seem-efY by` Letters Patent, is:

1f. Ina calculatingmachine ofy the character described including type carriers; 4type plungers carried by said" carriers', reciprocab'le hammers toloperat selected ones of said-type? plunge'rs, apinion andrackT gearl in` connectionwith each ofsaidtype carriers for shiftingfsaid 'carrier withy 'alseleetediltype plun'geri irfthe path of the'coordinathafrm'iierfandi` wherein" af common* rsection of the gap between adjacentv teeth' of onefo'f the" parts* of said gears, means' to gii'ide said member in a'piath' s'oas to engage with said edge'H into registering" gaps `oi" -said parts" of said gears;` and' means in" connection with' said com- '4 mon means and said member to cause engagement of the latter with said gear parts when said common means moves in the direction opposite to that for returning said hammers.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said common means is a rail havingfa rst edge for engagement with said'h'amrner, said" member being constituted by the portion of said rail opposite said first edge and including a second edge adapted to engage into registering gaps of Said racks;

3k A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member is in the form of a rail having an edge of a cross-section according to the gap between 1151r adjacent'teeth o'fv said pinions, further comprising a pair of arms to which said rail is secured, saidlarms'bei'n'gso pivoted as to guide said rail ia patlfito engage into registering gaps of said pinions, resilient means connected to said arms and tending to turn said arms in a direction to disengage said rail,k and said arms including faces-in the path of said common means, Whereby saidn arms will be turned by said-common p means to cause engagement of said rai-1 with'sad -pinions onal'movement of said common means opposite to that for returning said hammers.,v

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